Staff Profile

Career Summary

Biography

My current research focus is aimed at characterizing changes in the bone marrow during disease and infection. During a virus infection, an immune response is rapidly induced. This immune response is required to kill the virus and infected cells. However, the immune response often also causes a lot of the damage and pathology that is observed.

The aim of our studies is to characterise what happens when a virus is first detected by the immune system, including systemic changes in the bone marrow. The bone marrow houses immune cell progentors that give rise to mature immune cells, as well as structural cells that are important for maintaining mineral bone. Our second aim is to identify key molecules involved in feedback from sites of infection/inflammation to the bone marrow and the impacts of blocking these molecules on disease pathology.

I completed my PhD studies with Dr Kelly McNagny at The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. My research focused on the role of CD34 (and the related molecule podocalyxin) in immune responses, using mouse models of disease. Those studies identified the importance of CD34 for efficient eosinophil and mast cell migration to sites of inflammation during disease. Further, I demonstrated that loss of CD34 expression (using transgenic Cd34-/- animals) resulted in reduced disease severity in mouse models of asthma and ulcerative colitis.

Qualifications

PhD, University of British Columbia - Canada, 17/11/2010

Bachelor of Science, University of British Columbia - Canada, 19/05/2004

Research

Research keywords

Asthma

Bone Marrow

Disease Models

Hematopoiesis

Immunology

Infection

Virus

Research expertise

Main Research Focus Areas:

Bone Marrow Responses

MicroRNA Regulation

Immune Cell Activation and Migration

Virus Infections

Languages

English

Fields of Research

Code

Description

Percentage

110700

Immunology

50

110309

Infectious Diseases

30

110316

Pathology

20

Appointments

Fellow UONSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy (Australia)

01/01/2012 - 01/12/2015

Awards

Research Award.

2012

Postdoctoral Research FellowshipCanadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) (Canada)Canadian national research fellowship

2012

Postdoctoral Research FellowshipUniversity of Newcastle (Australia)University of Newcastle research fellowship